Think your kids would love to attend a fun wilderness summer camp? Ndakinna Education Center in Greenfield Center, NY offers a wide range of programming that focuses on wilderness skills, animal tracking, Native American games, and more.
Get Wild, Ndakinna Style
The Ndakinna Education Center is an affiliate of the Greenfield Review Literary Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and charitable organization. Ndakinna is Abenaki for "Our Land," and through their programs, the Center provides people of all ages with unique hands-on experiences, outdoor learning, principles of indigenous life, team building, character development, and awareness of the natural world.
Year Round Youth Camps
Take advantage of the amazing wilderness day camps at the Ndakinna Education Center. These camps vary by season and feature lessons in wilderness skills, animal tracking, hiking, kayaking, visits to the adventure challenge course, Native American games, storytelling, and more.
Camps are organized by age group and experience, so that campers can feel comfortable and have the most fun in nature!
Spots are limited, with small groups of 8-10 for these 4 day camps, so registration is required.
Browse Programs & Events
Most of the programs, educational series, and events are held year-round at Ndakinna Education Center and their adjacent 80-acre Marion F. Bowman Bruchac Memorial Nature Preserve.
Year round there are amazing ways to connect with the region's natural history and gain skills. The main areas of learning include:
- Youth and Family Programs, Camps & Adventures (Ages 1-14): Programs for toddlers to teens featuring nature education, wilderness survival, and Native and Adirondack culture. Includes monthly series and seasonal camps.
- Adult Level Wilderness Skills & Nature Programming (Age 15+): Learn wilderness survival skills, teambuilding, shelter construction, primitive firemaking, animal tracking, tree & plant identification, bird walks, and natural health.
- School Field Trips (Primary and Secondary Groups): Custom Nature and Native American programs for primary and secondary students, created to suit your groups needs.
- Ropes Challenge Course (Ages 6 through Adult): Enhances leadership and group dynamics through character development with private groups or integration with existing camps.
- Cultural Programs & Special Events (All Ages): Features Adirondack and Northeastern Native arts, music, history, and storytelling. Includes seasonal festivals, concerts, and Halloween scary story night.
- Tracker Training Center: Check out specific certificate programs and advanced training in animal tracking, which includes courses for State and Federal Wildlife agencies.
- Alternative College Break & Group Retreats: College break programs featuring environmental education and Native American culture, along with volunteering opportunities.
- Martial Arts Programming: Martial Arts camps and training focused on character development through the connection of mind, body, and spirit.
- Native American and Indigenous Literature (NAILIT) Book Club (All Ages)
In addition, the Center features an exhibit space, a large presentation room, an animal tracking room, and a gift shop.